68 IMPING. 



the feathers separated from the pinion carefully preserved 

 and numbered, so as to prevent mistake in taking a true 

 match for the injured feather. He then with a sharp 

 knife gently parts the web of the feather to be repaired at 

 its thickest part, and cuts the shaft obliquely forward, so 

 as not to damage the web on the opposite edge. He 

 next cuts the substitute feather as exactly as possible at 

 the corresponding point and with the same degree of 

 slope. 



" For the purpose of uniting them, he is provided with 

 an iron needle with broad angular points at both ends, 

 and after wetting the needle with salt-and-water, he 

 thrusts it into the centre of the pith of each part, as 

 truly straight and as nearly to the same length in each 

 as may be. 



"When this operation has been skilfully performed, 

 the junction is so neat, that ain inexperienced eye would 

 hardly discern the point of union, and as the iron rusts 

 from having been wetted with brine, there is little or no 

 danger of separation." 



After this explanation, the meaning of the following 

 lines is clear : 



